Apparatus for distributing liquids on roads



APPARATUS FOR DISTRIBUTING LIQUIDS ON ROADS Filed July 19, 1953 6 Sheets-Sheet 1 1 y y -z m flill INVENTOR.

32 VWJW 30 V BY 2 V ATTORNEYS April 13, 1937. H. HAUPT APPARATUS FOR DISTRIBUTING LIQUIDS on ROADS Filed July 19, 1933 6 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR.

4 BY W V w ATTORNEYS.

April 13, 1937. H. HAUPT APPARATUS FOR DISTRIBUTING LIQUIDS ON ROADS Filed July 19, 1933 6 Sheets-Sheet 3 fi/A ZZZZW Maw ATTORNEYS H. HAUPT A ril 12., 1937.

APPARATUS FOR DISTRIBUTING LIQUIDS ON ROADS 6 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed July 19, 1935 INVENTOR.

ATTORNEYJ.

April 13, 1937.

H. HAUPT I 2,076,780 APPARATUS FOR DISTRIBUTING LIQUIDS ON ROADS Filed July 19, 1933 6 Sheets-Sheet 6 ATTQRNEYS.

Ul-TE STATES My invention relates to liquid distributing ap- Paten ted Apr. 13, 15937 Thomas S. Littleford, Roger S. Littleford, John S. Littleford, J12, and Bernice L. Wadsworth Application July 19, 1933, Serial No. 681,152

24 Claims. (Cl. 29935) F Fl CE freeze in the passages of the apparatus. An-

paratus, and more especially to apparatus of that character which is mounted on a truck or the like to be moved along and over a roadway or street 5 for distributing liquid materials on the road or street surface to act as a binder or surfacing material, or both, for the other material of the road or street. My invention is especially concerned with apparatus of the character just described, 10 inwhich provision is made for forcibly discharging the liquid through the distributing means; and also with such devices in which provision is made for heating the liquid.

An object of my invention is to provide efiicient 15 means for heating the liquids used.' Such liquids, for example, are usually bituminous materials, such-as asphalts of various kinds, or tar. Such materials are liquid only when heated, and it is an especial object of my invention to keep these in liquids in heated and suitable liquid condition not only in the tank from which they are taken, but in all of the passages of the pressure distributing system of the apparatus. Other materials which are liquid when not heated also are used, as for instance, asphalt blended with a solvent, and also emulsions made by mixing tar or asphalt with water, soap, or the like, and also oils which are used to treat the material of roads or streets. With the asphalt and solvent generally known as cut back, and with the road oil, it is often desirable to heat these materials. An especial object is to provide the heating apparatus of a construction which allows for ready expansion and contraction of the parts, reducing 35 the strain on the structure and adding to its durability. A further object in this connection is to provide for especially effective combustion in the heating apparatus, and to protect the parts immediately exposed to the most intense 40 heat. Another object is to insure against backfiring and blowing out of the combustion in the heating apparatus.

When materials are used which require considerable heat to keep them readily flowing, 45 much difiiculty may be caused by the freezing of such liquids in the passages of the apparatus. It is a further object of my invention, therefore, to keep not only the tank but the pressure creating and distributing apparatus effectively heated to avoid these difficulties.

In conjunction with the heating apparatus, it is desirable to be able to circulate the heated liquid thoroughly in the tank so as to be uniformly exposed to the heating apparatus and 55 to further reduce the tend ncy of the liquid to other important requirement is to be able to thoroughly drain the passages of the apparatus when .its operation is to be stopped; and in some cases thorough draining and cleaning of 5 the apparatus is facilitated by the introduction of a suitable thinning liquid or solvent, such as an oil, into the passages. It is also highly desirable to be able to replenish the liquid in the tank of the apparatus from a suitable supply 10 source located along the roadway, and which, according to the side of the road on which it is located, or to the direction in which the apparatus is traveling, may require access for convenient filling at either side of the apparatus;

and another important advantage to be attained is the shutting ofi of the distribution immediately at any time during the travel of the apparatus along the road or street, so that there is no surplus flow or drippage of the liquid as, for instance, when distributing material on a road or street, and an intersection with a cross road or street should not have any of the material applied to it. i s

In view of the desirable functions and requirements just stated, I have provided an especially efiicient and effective combination in a distributing system with a. pressure device of means for controlling the distribution as between the pressure device, the tank and the distributing or spraying device of the apparatus. In the preferred example of my invention, provision has been made by the simple setting of a valve member to any one of four positions to either circulate the liquid within the system; or distribute or spray the liquid on the road or street;

or with a third position of the valve member to automatically create a suction back through the spraying or distributing device which will draw in any portion of the liquid emerging from the device at the time the spraying is to be stopped, and therefore insure against drippage on surfaces where it is not desired, or by certain'operations in conjunction with the connection of a conduit or hose from the roadside supply means to cause the suction permitted by this third setting of the valve member to draw in the new supply of liquid to the tank instead of effecting suction through the spraying device;

and by a fourth position of the valve member to 5 leave the system open for drainage of the liquid from the passages of the valve and the pressure creating device. I also may provide in conjunction with this draining operation, for the introduction of oil or other suitable thlnning liquid into the system for thorough cleaning with the valve member in this fourth position. Inconjunction with this-operation the forcing apparatu's may be used to aid in the complete cleaning out of the system I may provide especially for a supplementary heating of the liquid during circulation, as. mentioned above, with the first position of the valve member, by means of a special heater in addition to the tank heating 1D apparatus.

With these and other objects in view, nrv invention comprises therefore, the combination, with a tank or equivalent means forholding the material to be distributed and wit-h 5. suitable distributing 0r spraying device, anda forcing device of an especially novel, simple and effective distribution control valve, and means forthe convenient operation of this valve by the operator of the apparatus, which, by its position, readily in- 'dicates to the operator the proper setting of the valve.

The above-mentioned are some of the principal objects of my invention,- and the means for accomplishing these objects has been very broadly mentioned; It will be understood that anymention of detail in the above is not exclusive, and

. that other objects, as well as the means for accomplishingthem, will become apparent in the course of the following description which is illustrated by the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a general perspective view, partly diagrammatic, illustrating an embodiment of my invention;

. Figure 2 is a partial vertical longitudinal section on the line 2-2 of Figure 1, more clearly illustrating the burner and associated apparatus as well as the heating chamber and the arrange- 'ment of portions of the apparatus therein. Figure 3 is a partial corresponding section, considerably enlarged, fully illustrating the interior details of the burner. I

Figure 4 is a general perspective view of the spraying or discharging device and its associated connections and control details. Figure 5 is a partial section on the horizontal plane of the line 55 of Figure 4, more clearly illustrating details of the apparatus concerned in fllling or replenishing the liquid-in the apparatus.

, Figure 6 is a plan view of the distributing valve showing part of it and part of its manifold in horizontal section on the line H of Figure 1.

Figure 7 is a longitudinal vertical section on the line of'Figure 6.

. Figure 8 is a vertical cross section on the line 0-8 of Figure '7.

Figure 9 is a similar cross section on the line 9-9 of Figure 7,

Figure 10 is a detail perspective view of the rotatable valve member or plug.

Figure 11 is a diagram illustrating the'working of the apparatus when set for circulating.

Figure 12 is a similar diagram illustrating the operation when the apparatus is set for distributing or spraying.

Figure 13 is a similar diagram illustrating the operation when the apparatus is set for filling or ,suctioning.

Figure 14 is a similar diagram illustrating the operation when the apparatus is set for -draining 7 or cleaning.

In the preferred embodiment of my invention, as generally illustrated in Figure 1, the tank i is elongated horizontally and is of elliptical crosssection with its greatest width horizontal. At one end of this tank is a heat chamber 2, which is rectangular in its lower portion and conforms to the upper halfbf the elliptical cross section of the tank in its upper portion, the separate wall between this heat chamber and the interior of;

the tank constituting a header plate 3 with an opening through which a suitable burner discharges products of combustion into flues interiorly of the tank to circulate through the flues and be discharged therefrom through this header plate I.

At intervals along the length of the tank vertical plates 4 are provided approximately conforming to the shape of the lower half of the cross section of the tank and extending about half way the height of the tank. These plates 4 serve as bailles to minimize the shaking of the liquid around in the tank incident to Jars of transportation; and they further have the purpose of supporting the draft tubes. Close to the bottom of the tank I the main draft tube 5 leads through and has its end portion secured in the header plate 3, and leads along the bottom of the tank through openingsin the baflie or support plates 4. Near the remote end of the tank this maindraft tube 5 has laterally extending branches 8 ,which are in the form of return bends'leading into the ends of a first pair of rearward draft tubes 1 which, near the header plate I, have reheat chamber 2. This chamber 2 has at its top a suitable stack I2 provided with a damper I20. Forwardly :on top of the tank is a manhole IS with a suitable cover, and provided with a strainer I30. and an overflow and drain tube lib which-,-

not forming a part of my present invention, need no detailed description.

Extending from rear to front across the lower part of the heat chamber 2, and with its forward end connectingwith the first forward draft tube Lwhere the latter enters the tank, is thecombustion tube or'chamber I. It is provided near its junction with the draft tube 5 with a the entrance to the draft tube 5, is a closure member I5 so arranged that it may be slid partly or entirely across the entrance to the draft tube 5 from the combustion chamber I4, or 'may be slid to leave this entrance wide open.

For some distance along the first forward draft tube gfrom its entrance from the. combustion cham r I4, I provide a tubular lining l6. It will .be understood that the draft tube 5, as well as the other tubes in the tank, are made of wrought steel, such as boiler tubing, for instance, or seamless steel tubing, which is not especially resistive to the high temperature incident to the melting of the materials employed. This is especially so at the immediate entrance from the combustion chamber l4; and by providing this lining it, which may be of cast-iron amply resistant'to the intense heat at this point, I am able to greatly increase the durability of this part of the structure. r

At the outer or rear end of the combustion chamber ll, the wall of the heat chamber 2 has an opening intothe chamber I l. The burner I'I comprises a easing into the rear end of one side of which enters the fuel tube I! from a fuel supply means not shown. The air tube l9 enters the top of the casing, and the fuel tube l8 enters a tube l8 provided with the usual needle valve l8" seating at its forward end where it discharges the fuel into the nozzle 20 of the burner casing. This fuel is mixed with the air that has entered through the inlet l3 around the fuel tube I8, as indicated by the solid arrows in Figure 3. This nozzle 20 of the burner projects into in the combustion chamber M through the opening in the heat chamber wall just before mentioned.

The burner as so far described will be seen to be of a usual type. However, withthe especially long and circuitous system of draft tubes which I provide in the tank for especially efiective heating of the contents, difficulty has been experienced in maintaining the combustion sufiiciently to insure against blowing out of the burner by back-firing from the draft tubes. I have over-.

come this difficulty by providing a by-pass for the air at the rear of the burner casing, as at 2| in Figure 3, this by-pass being a depending extension from the forward end of which the bypass tube 22 leads into the combustion chamber M a considerable distance pastthe nozzle 28 of the burner. As shown, the forward end of this by-pass tube 22 is close to the entrance from the combustion chamber it into the draft tube 5.

The distributing or spraying apparatus, part of which is shownin Figure 1 at the bottom of the rear of the heat chamber 2, is fully shown in Figures 4 and 5, where the spray bar is made up of a middle coupling 23 which connects together two sections 23a and 23b of tubing and forms a partition between these two sections of tubing.

At intervals along the lower side of each section of tubing 23a and 23b are outlet nozzles 2d.

About midway of the length of each section 23a and 23b, inlet pipes 25 enter the tubes from above and are connected at their tops to respective inlet pipes 25a by suitable swivel connections.

26. These second pipes 25a lead rearwardly to the tops of the pipes 25 from branch connections 21 to which they are connected by suitable swivel joints'26a. At the middle of the branch connections 21 the main connection pipe 28 leads down into these branch connections 21 fromthe apparatus in the heat chamber 2. The swivel connections 26 and 26a are so arranged that the spray bar made up of the sections 23a and 23b may be moved longitudinally; the inlet pipes 25 and 25a and the connections 25 swinging as indicated by the dotted lines in Figure 4. These swivel connections 26 and 26a are understood to be made with spherical heads and sockets as seen at 26a in Fig. 5. The outer ends of connections 26a are normally closed by clamped closures as at 26' in Fig. 4. For shifting the spray bar as above described, the horizontal inlet pipes 25a are connected together bya shifter bar 29 which is connected by a shifter ;rod 30 to a lever 3i understood to be operable" from the operator's position on the apparatus. Valves 32 are provided in .the respective branch connection pipes 27 at the opposite sides of the main connection pipe 28; and these valves 32 are similarly connected by rods 33 to respective levers 3E, understood to be similarly operated. By these means the operator may shift the spray bar laterally of the path of travel of the apparatus, and may shut off the supply of liquid to either one of the spray bars without shutting off the supply to the other..

The swivel connections 26a have a detail construction, as shown in Figure 5, such that when the closure 26' of either one is removed the connection is left open laterally so that a filling hose 35, understood to lead from a roadside source of v supply, may have its nozzle 36 inserted into the open connection and past the inlet pipe 25a. The interior of this connection has-a valve seat 31, and the nozzle 36 of the supply hose 35, when 23a or 23b at the respective side, so that there can be nosuction' into the branch connections 21 and main connecting pipe 28 from the spray bar. Whichever side this nozzle is inserted on, the valve 32 for the spray bar section at the 20 other side is closed. By this means suction through the pipe 23 will be completely effective" to draw in the replenishing supply of liquid through the hose 35.

The forcing means for the distribution system, 25 as here shown, is in the form of a rotary pump 38 which is mounted on the floor of the heat chamber 2 at one side of its middle, and has its driving shaft 380. extending rearwardly. It will be understoodthat this shaft connects to a suit- 30 able motive means, such as an internal combustion engine which would be mounted on a rear platform extension of the apparatus, but which it is not deemed necessary to illustrate herein.

The entire operation of this pump 38 in con- 35 junction with the other parts of the apparatus, is controlled by the distributor valve which is mounted somewhat-to the other side of the middle of the heatychamber 2 on the floor thereof. It comprises a casing 39 with an interior conical 40 bore on a'horizontal axis, with its small end directed toward the pump 33. This casing has mounted on its rear side the manifold 80. The small end of the bore of the casing forms the discharge port M of this valve casing, and is con- 45 nected to the intake or inlet port of the pump 38.: In one side this pump inlet connection M has an oil inlet connection Ma which it will be understood may be connected to a suitable source of supply of oil for cleansing the passages in a manner hereinbefore mentioned. 2

At the top the valve casing 39 has an inlet connection 62 which is connected by an arching pipe 32a with the outlet port of the pump as it is seen in Figure 1. Leading from this conical bore into the nifold All, the casing has the left hand port 1 3 and the right hand port 44 as best seen in Figure 6, where, asmay also be clearly seen, the casing his leading from its side opposite these ports 43 anddd'the left hand port 45 and the right hat 1 port 46. The left hand port 45 opens through the header plate 3 into the lower part of the interior of the tank i, and the right hand port 46 opens through this header plate 3 into a riser 41, which extends up nearto the top of the tank and has a' pipe lla leading from it along the ipper portion of the tank as shown in Figure 1, it being understood that this pipe lla is connected to the riser by a compound elbow connection 31b in such a manner that this pipe dla may be swung up and down or around in the interior of the tank to discharge liquid in corresponding positions. The main connection pipe 28 leads down from the left hand end part 75 of the bottom of the manifold 48 to the sprayl s or distributing device.

Fitted into the conical bore of the valve casing 39 is the hollow conical valve plug 48 which 5 has its small end open and concentric with the adjacent pump inlet port 4| of the valve casing, forming a port 4|b which thus is always open to the pump inlet regardless of the position into which the plug 48 is rotated. The interior of the i hollow valve plug 48 is divided by a transverse partition 49 into a single left hand chamber 58,

y from which the end port 4) opens, and which also has two side ports 5| and 52, and two right hand chambers separated by a partition 53 ex 15 tending from the middle partition 49 to the large end of the plug. One of these right hand chambers 54 has two ports 55 and 55, and the other right hand chamber 51 has two ports 58 and 59. The port 55 of the first chamber 54 is longitudi- 20 nally aligned with one" of the ports 5| of the left hand chamber,-and one of the ports 59 of the second right hand chamber 51 is longitudinally aligned with the other port 52 of the left hand chamber, the other two ports 55 and 58 of the.

25 right hand chambers being at the opposite'side of the plug; As herein shown, the several ports are arranged at intervals of '90 around the plug, and the valve casing has its lateral ports 43,44, 45 and 45 aligned in a transverse plane through 3 the axis of the valve while the pump outlet port 42 is at the top of the casing 90 from each of the ports 44 and 45.

At its right hand or large end the valve casing 39 is bolted to a member 55 that extends up 35 from the floor of the heat chamber 2, this member 58 afiording a support for this end of the valve as well as forming a, closure for the large end of the valve casing 39. This member 55 has extending to the right a pair of bossesifla to 40 which is bolteda yoke or abutment member 8| spaced to the right from the main part of the.-

member 55. The stem 52 ofthe valve-plug 45 is preferably madeseparate therefrom and-screwed to the large end of .the plug by screws 82a on a 45 circular flange formed integral "with the stem,

as seen clearly in Figures 6 and '7. This stem 52 extends out through, the closure member 58,

which is provided with a stufllng box 83 around the stem. By this means a pressure chamber 50 54 is enclosed in the large end of the valve casing 39 between the adjacent end of the valve plug 45 and the closure member 85, which will retain liquid leaking past the valve plug 48 from the valve casing ports. This liquid being under pres- 55 sure from the pump, is effective to seat the-conical valve plug 48 very tightly in the conical bore of the casing 39, so that the. valve is made very ffectiveto prevent leakage from one of its ports to another. It has been found in practice that on this pressure is not only adequate, but is excessive,

so as to make it very diillcult to turn the valve P ug.

For the just mentioned reason, I prefer to provide an adjustment by which the seating move- 7 5 ment of the valve plug under this pressure in the chamber 84 may be limited as desired. In the example herein, 1 provide this by means of an end thrust sleeve 85 fitting around the valve-stem 52 within a bore in the yoke 01 abutment mem- 7 ber 5|; and by means of an adjusting yoke58 at the outer end of the valve stem having journaled in it and, limited as to actual movement, an adjusting screw 51 which is threaded into the adjacent end of the stem; and by means of the 15 sprocket wheel 58 which is slidably keyed at 58a on the end part of the stem 82 and is screwed to the adjusting yoke 55 and has the end thrust sleeve 85 screwed into its hub. The sleeve 85 has a flange abutting the left hand side of the yoke or abutment 5|, while the right hand side of this 5 abutment 5| is abutted by the adjacent end of the hub of the sprocket wheel 58. With this 81'? rangement, turning of the adjusting screw- 51 will cause axial movement of the stem 52 and the plug 48, since the relation of the sprocket 10 wheel 88 and sleeve 55 to the abutment 5| is such as to prevent axial movement of the adjusting yoke 58.

The sprocket wheel 58 ,is understood to be operatively connected by a suitably arranged sprocket chain 89, with a suitable means bywhich the operator may turn the valve plug 48 to any one of 'four positions, such, for instance, as the handwheel 15 which, with the sprocket chain, 59, are shown diagrammatically in Figure 1. In conjunction with this showing of the handwheel 15, the four diiferent positions of the valve are indicated by the letters C, S, I", and D, indicating the position's'Tor circulating, spraying, filling and drainage, respectively.

The diilerent orders of connection eflected by the setting of the valve into its four diiferent positions .are most clearly illustrated in the diagrams Figures 11 to 14 inclusive. In Figure 11 the arrangement for circulating the liquid into and out of the tank is indicated, where the path of the circulating liquid is indicated by the heavy lines, with arrows indicating the direction of passage of the liquid, which is from the bottom of the tank I through the left hand valve casing port 45, plug port 5|, plug end port 4|b, casing end port 4| to the intake of the pump 38 from the pump outlet into top port 42 of the valve casing, through port 55 of one of the right hand plug chambers, through the other port 55 of this chamber and the right hand port 45 of the valve casing into the riser 41, from which it will be discharged into any of the upper portions. of the tank in the manner before described. It is this circulating position of the valve that is illustrat- 45 ed in Figures 6, 7, 8, and 9. r

In Figure 12, which showsithe arrangement of parts for spraying, the valve plug has been turned 90 over to the-left orcounter-clockwise, so that the passage of liquid, as indicated by the heavy lines and arrows, how is from the bottom of tank ithrough 'ports 45' and 4| to the pump, and from the pump through ports 42 and 44 to the sprayin device 23a, 25b. This change was made from the arrangement in Figure 11 by an interchange of ports of the valve plug with valve casing ports; as will be understood.

,In Figure 13,, which illustrates the arrangement both for filling the tank I or for effecting suction when the spraying is'interrupted, there has been a complete change of connections at both ends of the valve by further counter-clockwise rotation of 90.to the left, so that the liquid,

asindicated by the heavy lines-and arrows, nowtravels from the spraying device 23a, 23b, 55 through one of the manifold ports 43, and through port 4| to the pump 38, and from there through port 42 and the'right hand port 45 into the riser 41 to the upper part of the tank. The alternative use of this arrangement for either suction or filling is indicated by having heavy dotted lines leading from the source of supply 35;

an indication 51 of a valve being understood to be a conventional representation of the before described arrangement of the filling hose nozzle 7 til 36 to cut off one side 23a of the Spraying device while filling. It will be understood that the valve 32 conventionally indicated at the right would be closed, as indicated by the vertical dotted lines so as to cut off the other side 23b of the spraying device. When the passage of liquid is as indicated by the full'lines in this lower part of Figure 13, the pump is forcibly drawing back the liquid from the spraying device so that there can be no flow or drippage of liquid after the operator has set the valve from the arrangement shown in Figure 12 to that in Figure 13 to stop spraying. It also will be seen that any time the tank is to be replenished the device will have been set from spraying position to suction position of Figure 13, ready for filling from either side through part 23a or part 23b of the spraying device by the setting of the valve means 32 and 37 as just before described.

In Figure 14 the valve plug has been given its fourth position by turning counter-clockwise from that of Figure 13. There has been an interchange of ports in the left hand or smaller end of the valve, but the actual connection remains the same as in Figure 13, connecting the spraying apparatus 23a, 23b to the intake side of the pump 38, while the right hand end of the valve now has by interchange of ports attained the same effective arrangement as it had "in the spraying position in Figure 12. that the liquid is free to drain from the pump and valve chambers and connections through the spraying device. It will be understood that by the pump valve and connections being in the heat chamber 2, the material within them may be maintained in a highly fluid condition for drainage; and if desired, oil may be introduced through the inlet Ma to the pump intake end of the valve, as indicated by the dotted lines in Figure 12; and with the pump 38 running, the passages and valve chambers and pump may bevery thoroughly cleansed with a gradual outflow of the substances through the spraying device.

mentary heater may be provided, as indicated at H in Figure 11, through which the liquid would pass under the action of the pump 38when the distributing valve is 'set for circulation of the liquid. Such a heater is not shown in Figure l,

but it 'will be readily understood how this heater might be connected in the system where the pipe 42a is shown extending from the pump outlet to the valve port 42. However, I provide for heating the apparatus in the heat chamber 2 to an especially high degree by closure of the entrance from the combustion chamber I4 into the main being controlled by the chamber l3. By this means, should the passages in the pump, the valve and the connecting pipes, including the pipe 28 leading to the distributing device, become frozen, they may be very quickly thawed out. The closure. l5 may be more or less incompletely closed, thus distributing part of the combustion gases to the tank fiues and part of them directly into the heat chamber 2. For example, in cold weather the closure l5 may be left in position to slightly decrease the passage into the tank flues, so that a certain amount of the combustion gases will pass directly to the heat chamber 2 to in- The' result is crease the heating effect on the contained apparatus and prevent freezing.

The arrangement of the draft tubes in the tank with repeated passage of the combustion gases lengthwise of the tank through these tubes,

afiords especially eflective heating of the material in the tank. Furthermore, because of the flexibility of the system of draft tubes, due to their curved return bend connections at their ends, and the fixing of this system of tubes only where the main draft tube 5 and the final draft tubes ll pass through the header plate 3, and due to the loose mounting of. the tubes in the supports or On account of the great length of. passage ofv the combustion gases through the system of draft tubes, I have found that an especially effective provisionfor maintaining combustion within these tubes is desirable. I have found that by merely depending upon the, combustion maintained within the combustion chamber or tube It at the outlet or nozzle of the heater, there is often an accumulation of unburned or. incompletely burned fuel in remote spaces of the draft tubes which, becoming ignited after an interval of poor combustion, result in explosions in the draft tubes which, of course, produce shocks on the structure; and what is especially troublesome is the blowing out of the flame in the coinbustion chamber It so that the heater ceases to operate except to discharge a full volume of unburned fuel, together with air, into the draft tubes, which may, without close attention of the operator, cause serious explosion in the apparatus. I have found that thesedifliculties are pass directly from the air inlet pipe 19 into the pipe 22, so that this pipe 22 with its outlet end a considerable distance forward from the burner carried with the combustion gases into the drafttubes to provide an ample support for combustion therein. On account of the great efliciency of the burner and combustion chamber arrangement which I have provided, the combustion is especially intense in the region of the entrance to the main draft tube 5; and I have found that the cast-iron liner l6 greatly adds to the durability of this part of the apparatus. i

The provision by which any excess flow of liquid from the distributing device or spray bar 23a, 23b, may be immediately drawn back under the suction action, as indicated in Figure 13, is-

especially valuable. Heretofore considerable difliculty has been had in avoiding the scattering of the road-treating liquid in areas where it is .not required to be used, and in which it is undesirable. For example, the road or street being treated with the liquid may cross another road or street'which is paved with material which would not be'improved, but would be marred and soiled with the liquid, as, for instance, a concrete roadway. With my improved provision, just as soon as the operator sets the distributing valve from the position represented in Figure 12 to that l overcome by providing the by-pass 2| for air to I It will be understood that a suitable 'supple- '3 travel of the apparatus.

represented in Figure 13, the pump, instead of forcing liquid out through the spray bar, immediately begins drawing liquid back therefrom. Thus, there can be no drlppage on surfaces over which the apparatus is passing after this settin of the valve.

The advantage of convenient replenishing of the material in the tank I with the valve setting in this suction position has been mentioned, It 10 will be seen that this suction position will be the one given to the distributing valve at any time the operator wishes to discontinue the spraying operation; and whenever he stops for replenishing the material, he will have the apparatus in the condition indicated in Figure 13, and on' whichever side of the apparatus he finds the supply of material, he needs only to close the valve 32 near the opposite side of the apparatus and open the connection 25a at the side where the filling hose nozzle is to be inserted, which ,will then automatically close the adjacent inter-.

mediate portion of the spraying device of! from the spray bar, as was done by closing the valve 32 near the other side of the apparatus. The convenient operation of either valve 32 from the operators position, and shifting of the spray bar in the same convenient manner gives the operator complete and immediate control of the distribution of the liquid at all times during the Another provision for control of the spraying is ailforded by partial setting of the distributing valve from the circulating position of Figure 11 to the spraying position of Figure 12. This leaves the passages only partly open at the valve casing ports 44 and 45; and I have avoided the building up of excessive pressure of the liquid when the valve is set this way by so proportioning the ports that the passage at port 45 where the liquid passes to the pump, is

40 considerably smaller under these conditions than the passages'at 42 and M, where the liquid. is being forced from the pump to the spray bar. I find that ordinarily no pressure relief valves or the like are necessary, it being suilicient to so pro- 1 45 portion the passages that the pump cannot take in any more liquid than can be readily discharged from the apparatus. However, it will be. under stood that pumps may be obtained with pressure relieving by-pass devices, or that a pressure relieving valve may be connected in the system in addition to the distributing valve. It will be seen that by a distributing valve of comparatively simple design I have provided for a comparatively large number of different operations by the mere four different settings of the valve. This not only 3 makes for economy in construction, but for simplicity of maintenance, andadds to the reliability of the apparatus.

' I have illustrated and described a preferred embodiment of my invention in considerable detail, but it will be understood that modifications other than those alluded to herein may occur in practice, and therefore that I am not limited to such precise disclosure, but what I claim as 5 new and'desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:.

i vent communication between said intermediate portion and said discharge device, and a valve so connected to said tank and said forcing means, and so arranged, as to reverse the connection of said forcing means with said tank and said discharge device and thereby to draw liquid from said discharge device, or from said source of liquid supply, accordingly as communication ispermitted or prevented between-said harge device and said intermediate portion 0 said connection, said means to. prevent com unication comprising a valve seat in said intermediate portion of said connection between the forcing means and the entrance of said connection to the discharge device, and a nozzle forming part of the connection to the source of liquid supply,

extending across said entrance and having a portion making liquid excluding contact with saidnections with the respective discharge devices,

each comprising an intermediate portion with entrance of either intermediate portion, to ,ex-

tend across and close the entrance of the intermediate portion to the'respective discharge device, and a valve so arranged, and so connected to said forcing means and said discharge device as to direct liquid from the discharge 'side of said 1 forcing means through said discharge device, or to direct liquid from said discharge device to the suction side of said forcing means.

3. In apparatus of the character described, comprising a tank and a pump, each with an inlet and an outlet, and a discharge device, a valve comprising relatively movable members each with a, plurality of ports, the ports of one member having connections, respectively, with the inlet and outlet of the pump, theinlet and outlet of the tank, and the discharge device, the ports of the members being so constructed and arranged that the members are relatively movable, to connect the tank inlet with the pump outlet and the tank outlet with the pump=inlet,

or the-discharge device with the pump outlet and the tank outlet withthe pump inlet, or the pump outlet with the tankinlet and the pump inlet with the discharge device, or both the pump outlet and inlet with the discharge device.

4. In apparatus-of the character described, comprising a tank-and a pump, each with an inlet and an outlet, and a discharge. device, a valve comprising relatively movable members each with a plurality of ports, the ports of one member having connections; respectively, with the inlet and outlet of the pump, the inlet and outlet of the tank, and the discharge device, the

ports of the members being so constructed and arranged that the members are. relatively movable to connect the discharge device with the pump outlet and the tank outlet with the pump inlet, or the pump outlet with the tank inlet and the pump inlet with the discharge device, and.

means for disconnecting said valve from. the discharge device and connecting said valve to a source of liquid supply for replenishing the tank a by means of the last mentionedorder of connections effected by the valve;

' 5. In apparatus of the character described, a tank having an inlet and an outlet, a discharge from at the side of 'the plug at which two ports lead from respective ones of the first two chambers and with a third port leading axially from said third chamber at the adjacent end of the plug, and said casing having a first series of threeradial ports in the plane of the ports of the first two plug chambers, either two adjacent ports to connect with either one of the first two chambers while the third port connects with the other one of said first two chambers, and said casing having a second series of two radial ports substantially in an axial plane with the nonadjacent ports of the first series, and having an axial port in its end continuously connecting withthe axial port of the plug, the casing ports of the first series connecting, respectively, with the tank inlet, the discharge side of the forcing device, and the discharge device, the casing ports of the second series connecting, respectively, with V the tank outlet and the discharge device, and

the axial casing port connecting with the suction side of the forcing device, whereby the valve plug, upon rotation to respective ones of four positions, connects for circulation through the forcing means and thetank inlet and outlet, or

for discharge from the tank outlet and the forc- 3 ing means and discharge means, or for suction from the discharge means and through the foreing means into the tank inlet, or for circulation through and drainage of the valve and connections and the forcing means.

6. Apparatus as set forth in claim 5, in which thedischargemeans is provided with a filling inlet that will admit the nozzle of afilling hose, and a seat adjacent said inlet against which the end of the nozzle may seat, said nozzle then closing oil the normal passage in the discharge means for the discharging operation, and permitting filling of the tank through the hose from a source of supply, when the valve plug is set for suction. 7. Apparatus as set forth in claim 5, in which the discharge device is provided with two filling inlets, one at each side of the apparatus, each having opening and closing means whereby it may be closed when the valve plug is set for discharge, but may be opened for filling the tank from a source at the respective side of the apparatus, connected to the respective filling inlet, when the valve plug is-set for suction, said discharge device also being provided with valves, one between each filling inlet and the connection of the discharge device to the'valve casing, to be opened for discharge operation, and the valve at one side being closed for use of the filling inlet at the opposite side.

8. In apparatus of the character described, a tank and a forcing means each having an inlet and an outlet, a discharge device, and a valve having connections, respectively, with the forcing means inlet and outlet, the tank inlet and outlet,

charge means through the forcing means into the tank inlet, or for circulation through and drainage of the valve and connections and the forcing means.

9. Apparatus as set forth in claim 8, in which the discharge means is provided with a filling inlet and means whereby the filling inlet may be closed when the valve is set for discharge or suction, but may be opened for filling the tank when the valve is set for suction, said discharge device also having means for closing its normal discharge and suction passage when the filling inlet is opened for filling the tank by suction.

10. Apparatus as set forth in claim 8, in which the discharge device is provided with two filling inlets, one at each side of the apparatus, each with means whereby it may be closed for normal discharge or suction by the apparatus, but may.

be opened for filling the tank when the valve is setfor suction, saiddischarge device also having means for closing its normal discharge and suction passage when either filling inlet is opened for filling the tank by suction.

11. Apparatus as set forth in claim 8, in which the discharge device is provided with a filling inlet that willadmit the nozzle of a filling hose, and a seat adjacent said inlet against which the end of the nozzle may seat to close off the normal discharge passage of the discharge means, and permitting filling of the tank by setting the valve for suction. r

12. Apparatus as set forth in claim 8, in which there is included a heater in connection with the outlet of the forcing device, connecting said outlet to the valve, through which the contents of the tank fiows when the valve is set for circulation through the tank.

13. Apparatus as set forth in claim 8', in which the valve has an inlet communicating with its connection to the inlet of the forcing device, whereby a diluent for the contents of the apparatus may be introduced while the valve isset for a suction'side and a discharge side, and a valve having connections with the tank, the discharge. device, and the suctionianddiScharge side of the forcing device, said valve being so constructedthat in one position it connects the tank to the suction side of the forcing device' and the discharge side of the forcing device to the discharge device, in another position it connects the suction side of the forcing device to the discharge device and the discharge side of the forcing device to. the tank, and in another position it opens for drainage all connections except the connection to the tank.

16. In apparatus of the character described, a tank, a discharge device, a. forcing device havoing a suction side and a discharge side, and a valve having connections with the tank, the discharge device, and the suction and discharge side of the forcing device, said valve being so constructed that in one position it connects the tank to the suction side of the forcing-device and the discharge side of the forcing device to the dis- Y charge device, in another position it connects the suction side of the forcing device to the discharge device and the discharge side of the forcing device to the tank, and in another position it opens for drainage all connections except the connection to the tank a heater for said tank and a heat chamber surrounding said forcing device and said valve and said conn ctions, and receiving heat a from said heater.

17. Inapparatus of the character described, a tank, a discharge device, a forcing device having a suction side and a discharge side, anda valve having connections with the tank, the discharge de oe, and the suction and discharge side of the forcing device, said valve being so constructed that in one position it connects the tank to the suction side of the forcingdevice and the discharge side of the forcing device to the discharge l5 device, in another position it connects the suction side of the forcing device to the discharge device and the discharge side of the forcing device to the tank, and in another position it opens iordrainage the connection between the valve and the discharge device and the connections between the valve and the suction and discharge sides of the forcing device.

18. In apparatus of the character described, a tank, a discharge device, a. forcing device having a suction'side and a discharge side, and a valve having connections with the tank, the discharge device, and the suction and discharge side of the forcing device, said valve being soconstructed that in one position it connects the tank to the ing device and said valve and said connections,

and receiving heat from said heater.

19. In apparatus of the character described, a tank. a discharge device, a forcing device having 45 a suction side and a discharge side, and a valve having connections with the tank, the dischargedevice, and the suction and discharge side of the forcing device, said valve being so' constructed that in one position it connects the tank to the 50 suction side of the forcing device and the discharge side of the forcing device tp the discharge device, in another position it connects the suction side of the forcing device to the discharge device and the discharge side of the forcing de- 65 vice to the tank, in another position it connects both the discharge and suction side of the forcing device with a closed circulatory system for circulation, and in another position it opens for drainage the connection between the valve and 60 the discharge device andthe connections between the valve and the suction and discharge sides of I the forcing device.

20. In apparatus of the character described, comprising a tank and a' pump, each with an 65 inlet valve comprising relatively movable members each with-a plurality'of ports, the ports of one member having connections, respectively, with the inletand outletof the pump, the inlet and #0 outlet r the tank, and the discharge device. said valve being so constructed and arranged that the and an outlet, and a discharge device, a

means into the tank inlet. a

members are relatively movable, to connect the tank inlet with the pumpv outlet and the tank outlet with the pump inlet, or the discharge de-- vice with the pump outlet and the tank outlet with the pump inlet, or the pump outlet with 5 the tank inlet and the pump inlet with-the discharge device.

21. In apparatus of the character described. comprising a tank and a pump, each with an inlet and an outlet,- and a discharge device, a l0 valve operatively connected respectively with the inlet and the outlet of the pump, the inlet and the outlet of the tank, and the discharge device, said valve being so constructed as to connect the tank inlet with the pump. outlet and the tank 15 outlet with the pump inlet for circulation, or the tank outlet with the pump inlet and the pump outlet with the discharge device for spraying, or

3 the tank inlet with the pump outlet and the pump inlet with a discharge device for suction. 20

22. In apparatus of the character described, comprising a tank and a pump, each with an inlet and an outlet, and a discharge device, a valve operatively connected respectively with the inlet and outlet of the pump, the inlet and outlet '25 ofthe'tank, and the discharge device, said valve being so constructed as to connect the tank inlet with the -'pump outlet and the tank outlet with the pump inlet for circulation, or the tank outlet with the pump inlet and the pump outlet with the discharge device for spraying, or the tahk inlet with the pump outlet and the pump inlet with the discharge device for suction, and means for shutting oiI said discharge device and opening'a'fllling port to the pump inlet when said valve has the tank inlet connected with the pump outlet. 1

23. In apparatus of the character described. comprising a tank and a pump, each with an inlet and an outlet, and a discharge device, 'a 40 valve comprising relatively movable members each with a plurality of ports, the ports of one member having connections, respectively, with the inlet and the outlet of the pump, the inlet and outlet of the tank, and the discharge device, 5

, said valve being so constructed and arranged that the members arerelatively movable to connect the discharge device with the pump outlet e and the tank outlet with the pump inlet, or the pump outlet with the tank inlet and the pump inlet with the discharge device, and means for disconnecting the discharge device fromsaid pump inlet and connecting a source of liquid supply for replenishing the tank by means of the last mentioned order of connections eflected by the valve. 2 4. In apparatus of the character described, a tank and a forcing means each having an inlet and an outlet, a discharge device, and 'a valve having c ections respectively, with the-forc- 0 ing me inlet and outlet, the tank inlet and outlet, and the discharge means, and being so constructed and so arranged that it may be set to connect for circulation through the forcing means and the tank inlet and outlet, or for'dis- 35 charge from the tank outlet through the forcing means and the discharge device, or for suction from the discharge means through the forcing 

